When you accidentally delete files on your iPhone, you might worry whether these files can still be recovered. Is there a deleted items folder on iPhone? Yes. iPhone has a "Recently Deleted" folder that can help you retrieve recently deleted files. So, where is the Recently Deleted folder on iPhone? This article will detail the location and function of the "Recently Deleted" folder and provide several methods to recover deleted files on your iPhone.
When you delete files on your iPhone, they do not immediately disappear permanently. Instead, they are temporarily stored in the "Recently Deleted" folder. This is a folder specifically for storing recently deleted files, allowing you to recover them within a certain period.
The existence of the "Recently Deleted" folder is to prevent accidental deletion of files, providing users with a grace period. Files in this folder are stored for 30 days before being permanently deleted. Therefore, during this time, you have the opportunity to retrieve those mistakenly deleted files.
The "Recently Deleted" folder on the iPhone varies in location depending on the file type. Here are the locations for some common file types and their "Recently Deleted" folders.
For Files App:
Step 1. Open the "Files" app.
Step 2. Tap the "Browse" tab.
Step 3. In the "Locations" section, select "Recently Deleted".
Step 4. To recover the deleted files, choose the files you want to recover and tap "Recover".
For Photos App:
Step 1. Open the "Photos" app.
Step 2. Tap on the "Albums" tab.
Step 3. Scroll down to find the "Recently Deleted" album.
Step 4. Select the photos you wish to recover, then press the "Recover" button. (Click here to learn more ways to recover deleted photos from your iPhone.)
For Notes App:
Step 1. Open the Notes app on your iPhone.
Step 2. Tap on the "Folders" page and select "Recently Deleted".
Step 3. Click "Edit" and choose the notes you wish to recover.
Step 4. Tap "Move To" to designate where you want to store them.
For Messages App:
Step 1. Open the Messages app on your iPhone.
Step 2. Tap either the "Edit" or "Filter" button, then select "Show Recently Deleted".
Step 3. Choose the conversations containing the messages you want to restore and tap "Recover".
Note: The Messages Recently Deleted folder is supported on iOS 16 and later versions.
For Mail App:
Step 1. Find and tap the Mail app on your iPhone's home screen.
Step 2. Tap "Bin" on the "Mailboxes" page.
Step 3. Select the emails you wish to recover, then tap the "Move" button to restore them to the original folder.
Not all applications have a built-in Recently Deleted folder, or deleted files may exceed the retention period of the "Recently Deleted" folder. In such cases, if you still want to find deleted items on iPhone, you can try the following three methods.
iTunes is one of the common official methods used to recover deleted files from an iPhone. If you regularly back up your iPhone to your computer using iTunes, you can easily restore deleted files. However, with this method, you can't preview the deleted files before recovery, and it will overwrite the previous data.
Here is how to find deleted stuff on iPhone from iTunes backup:
Step 1. Open the latest version of iTunes on your computer and connect your iPhone using a USB cable.
Step 2. If prompted, unlock your iPhone and tap "Trust". Then, select your iPhone icon when it appears in the iTunes window.
Step 3. Go to the "Summary" tab and click "Restore Backup". Choose an appropriate backup file based on the date.
Step 4. Click "Restore" to synchronize the backup content to your iPhone. Keep your device connected until the syncing process completes.
Another official way to restore deleted files is using iCloud. Assuming you have backed up your iPhone to iCloud. But this method ask you to reset your iPhone. Therefore, back up your iPhone first before to do this.
Here is how to find deleted things on iPhone from iCloud backup:
Step 1. Unlock your iPhone and open "Settings" > "General" > "Reset".
Step 2. Tap on "Erase All Content and Settings" and confirm. Your device will erase and restart.
Step 3. Follow the on-screen instructions to set up your iPhone as new. When you reach the "Apps & Data" screen, select "Restore from iCloud Backup" and choose the most recent backup.
Step 4. Tap "Restore" to fully restore the iCloud backup to your iPhone.
Bonus: You can read this article to learn how to restore from iCloud backup without reset.
If you don't have iTunes or iCloud backups, you can use Coolmuster iPhone Data Recovery software. This software is designed specifically for recovering deleted files from iPhone, even if you don't have a backup, to help you retrieve important data.
Highlights of Coolmuster iPhone Data Recovery:
Here is how to find deleted stuff on iPhone without backup using iPhone Data Recovery:
01Begin by downloading and launching the program on your computer. Connect your iPhone to the computer using a USB cable. When prompted with "Trust this Computer?" on your iPhone, tap "Trust".
02Once your iPhone is successfully connected, select the type of data you want to recover. Click "Start Scan" to initiate the scanning process.
03After the scan completes, browse through the available file types and preview the detailed data. Select the items you wish to recover and click "Recover to Computer" to save the files to your computer.
This tool also has the ability to restore your iPhone from an iTunes or iCloud backup file. If you have such a backup, simply choose either "Recover from iTunes Backup File" or "Recover from iCloud" mode. Follow the on-screen instructions to selectively recover deleted iPhone files without overwriting existing iOS content.
Video Tutorial:
Now that we know the answer to "Where is the Recently Deleted folder on iPhone?" The "Recently Deleted" folder is an essential tool for iPhone users to recover accidentally deleted files. If you cannot restore files through the "Recently Deleted" folder, you can also use the three methods mentioned above. I recommend using Coolmuster iPhone Data Recovery. Compared to official methods, it supports selectively recovering specific files without affecting the original data, and you can preview data before recovery.
I hope this article helps you easily find and recover deleted files on your iPhone.
Related Articles:
No Recently Deleted Notes Folder on iPhone? [Reasons & Solutions]
[Solved] How to Access iPhone Recycle Bin and Recover Deleted Items?
How to Recover Deleted Photos after Deleting from Recently Deleted Album on iPhone?
How to Turn Off Recently Deleted Messages on iPhone? Things You Need to Know
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